Reflection
by MortalHeartImmortalSoul
Summary: The new Johto champion reflects on her decision to become a trainer and her journey, as well as the lessons it's taught her.


**I don't own Pokemon, but I do own Chrsitina Parks, my OC. I don't own Silver either, since he was semi-mentioned. If you squint. Oh, and anyone who gets the song reference gets virtual cookies. :D**

I laughed. Really, I couldn't help it. I let out a joyous laugh I had always been so ready to let out, but never had a reason, exactly. That day was my reason to laugh, to smile, to dance like no one was watching me.

I, Christina Parks, had achieved a goal I had only ever dreamed of. I beat the Johto champion. I was the strongest trainer. It was me, no one else.

I didn't expect to get this far. I expected to have given up. I had always felt like everyone was always telling me I wasn't good enough to be the best, that I'd always have my head stuck in the clouds. I've shown them just what I could do. I've shown themnot to count anyone out. They should never judge someone based on appearance.

Although, now that I've reached the top, what do I do? Continue training is always an option, of course. I'll have trainers come to challenge me, so I'll need to be prepared. But I've reached my ultimate goal, my dream in life, and I still have so much more time left. What do I do? Someone once told me that only fools are satisfied, but I'm pretty happy. This will only go on for so long, I suppose. As I said, I have a lot of time left, so I'm sure something will pop up.

Sometimes I wonder if becoming a trainer was the right decision. I could've done a lot of different things, but I decided to train. I often think about what influenced my decision, if anything did at all. Maybe it was my father, who was forced to study as a professor by his parents, but wanted to become a trainer. Maybe it was my mother, who wasn't allowed around pokemon period, but wanted nothing more than to be a co-ordinater. Maybe it was peer pressure, since everyone wanted to train. Maybe I made the choice all on my own, knowing deep down this is what I'd be good at.

Whatever the reason I went down this path, I succeeded. It didn't matter_ why_ I had gotten as far as I did. It mattered _how_ I had gotten as far as I did. I went to the top through hard work and compassion. (Although my rival would argue with me on that point on countless occasions.) I treated my pokemon kindly, and in turn they trained harder, trusting me to lead them through battles and to victory. They're the reason I had gotten as far as I did, and without them I wouldn't be anywhere.

I guess all I'm trying to say is that this whole journey has taught me countless lessons. Some I learned the easy way, some I learned the hard way. But without these lessons, I wouldn't be the person I am today. I'll never forget my journey, or the lessons it taught me. I'm still waiting for someone to come a challenge me, to prove they're worthy of the title of champion. I hope that, when that person gets here, they have the same strength and determination in their eyes that Lance told me I held in mine.

I also hope they know this: You can go through life believing the people who tell you that you can't do it, or prove them wrong and have fun flipping them off afterwards.

**LONG AUTHOR'S NOTE WARNING**

**This date, August 20, 2012, marks my second year on this site. Honestly, I thought I would have given up. This story kind of explains my journey on this site. Partially. I'm very far from being the greatest writer on this site. (In my opinion, I'm the worst.) And when Christina talks about the people who told her she couldn't succeed as a trainer, I was talking about myself. I have zero self-confidence, and often tell myself that I might as well give up because I'll never be a good author, but I keep trying. Hopefully I'll reach a level where I can have fun flipping myself off for all the doubt, but I don't think that will ever happen.**

**Now, addressing my time on the site. It's been some of the best time of my life. I've met some absolutely amazing people, and feel that I've grown as a writer. I've made friends I'll never forget, and have memories to last a lifetime. Things like that are hard to find, and to know I've experienced times like that and met amazing people, even if it's just over the internet, makes me happy. Even after my time on this site has ended, I'll always remember the friends I've made, the stories I've written, and the great times I've had. I'm being kind of repetitive, aren't I?**

**Here's to another two years on the site for me, and maybe some **_**good**_** stories out of me for a change.**


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